The Hindu Business Line : Naandi, Winrock, Coke join hands for drinking water initiative

Hyderabad, Feb. 6 Naandi Foundation, Winrock International and Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Foundation, will collaborate to launch an 18 month multiple-use water services demonstration initiative in Andhra Pradesh.

“The project aims to provide reliable access to water for domestic and productive activities in rural communities impacting 1,050 households (more than 5,000 people) and improve health, nutrition, food security and social empowerment of the targeted households,” a release issued here stated.

The pilot project also aims to increase annual income of the target group by at least 20 per cent per year and develop a model for wide scale replication across the country.

The release also said the Coca-Cola Foundation has approved a grant of $250,000 for initial support of the initiative.

‘Market-based approach’

Mr Amit Jain, COO and head of the Drinking Water and Sanitation vertical – Naandi Foundation, said, “This initiative builds on Winrock International and Naandi Foundation’s expertise using innovative market-based approaches to achieve sustainable and equitable improvements in health, income and food security for poor smallholders.”

He added that Naandi Foundation has already undertaken projects using market-based approaches to providing access to safe drinking water to poor rural smallholders, linking organic coffee growing tribal small farmers to global markets and using natural resource management techniques and revitalising defunct irrigation schemes in partnership with local communities, private donors and Government.

According to Dr Mary Renwick, Director, Water Innovation Program, Winrock International, “Winrock brings a new model of water service delivery known as Multiple-Use Services (MUS). The MUS approach builds on and adds value to investments in community domestic water systems or irrigation systems and has potential to simultaneously improve smallholder health and incomes.”

More Stories on : Water | Society & Development | Andhra Pradesh

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